The Leveson Inquiryrevealed a pervasive culture of mutual interest between the press, senior politicians​ and police in the UK.Unchecked media concentration over several decades has allowed some media groups to accumulate vast amounts of revenue and influence.​​One consequence of this has been the development of intimate relationships between political and media elites which, ​according to Lord Justice Leveson, ‘has not been in the public interest’, and which presents adverse consequences for ethical journalism and democracy. This has created a situation in which public debate is restricted to those agendas favoured by press and political elites.

The existing media ownership regime is not working to protect pluralism or democracy. We need diversity of ownership to ensure both an independent press free from political influence, and a political system that does not bow down to the power of the largest media moguls.